Enjoy Life Foods

"Enjoy life" redirects here. For the waltz, see Freuet Euch des Lebens.
Enjoy Life Foods
Private
Industry Food
Founded 2001
Headquarters Schiller Park, Illinois,
United States
Key people

Scott Mandell, CEO

Joel Warady, CMO
Products Gluten-free and Allergen-Friendly Foods
Number of employees
 65
Parent Mondelez International
Slogan eat freely
Website http://www.enjoylifefoods.com

Enjoy Life Foods is a privately owned company based in Schiller Park, Illinois that produces gluten-free, casein-free, and foods intended to be non-allergic. All the products are free of wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish and made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free factory.[1]

The company was co-founded by Scott Mandell in 2001 and sells its products in the United States, Canada, Australia, and online.[2]

Enjoy Life Foods caters to individuals with dietary restrictions, such as Gluten-Free Diets and nut allergies. The company is gluten-free certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO), Kosher-certified by the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc),[3] Halal-certified by Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA),[4] and vegan friendly. In addition to its products, Enjoy Life Foods also offers resources for consumers to live a gluten-free and casein-free life style.

History

The company was co-founded by Scott Mandell and Bert Cohen [5] as part of a class assignment for the MBA program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Mandell left his former job as a banker and raised funds to launch the company. The company developed products and created a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery in Chicago, Illinois. In January 2006, the company was the first to receive independent gluten-free certification for all of its products from the Gluten Free Certification Organization by following a 10 parts per million (ppm) standard for gluten (lower than the proposed FDA standard of 20 ppm).[6]

Enjoy Life Foods initially launched with 12 items including cookies and snack bars to bagels. Since then, it has expanded to over 30 different foods including cookies, cereal, granola, snack bars, bagels, trail mixes, chocolate bars, and chocolate for baking.[2]

In October 2004, the company acquired Perky's 100% Natural brand from PGP International.[2]

The company was in the Inc. magazine's 500/5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies for three consecutive years starting in 2007.[7] Enjoy Life Foods has published two gluten-free cookbooks in partnership with Fairwinds press.[8][9] In 2010, the company developed a free "Food Allergy and Intolerance Survival Guide" as an introduction to living gluten-free.[2]

On February 16, 2015, Mondelez International acquires Enjoy Life Foods for an undisclosed amount.

Media coverage

Enjoy Life Foods has been featured on Food Network's "Unwrapped".[10] The company was also briefly mentioned on ABC 7 Chicago[11] in June 2010, and on Planet Green's "Emeril Green" with Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse.

Scott Mandell was also named as one of Crain's 40 under 40 for 2008.[12]

Dietary restrictions

Enjoy Life Foods are produced without gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, shellfish, casein, potato, sesame, sulfites, and lactose.[2]

References

  1. ↑ http://celiac-disease.com/enjoy-life-foods-responds-to-chicago-tribune-story/
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 http://modern-baking.com/specialty_baking/mb_imp_14154 Modern Baking. Retrieved August 2010.
  3. ↑ http://www.crcweb.org/LOC/enjoy%20life.pdf
  4. ↑ http://www.ifanca.org/products/search_halal/?sort=productName&order=ASC&page=1
  5. ↑ "Our history". Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  6. ↑ http://www.celiac.com/articles/971/1/Enjoy-Life-Natural-Foods-First-to-Carry-Gluten-Free-Food-Certification-GFCO-on-Products/Page1.html Adams, Scott. Celiac.com. Enjoy Life Nautral Foods First to Carry Gluten-Free Food Certification (GFCO) on Products. Retrieved July, 2010.
  7. ↑ http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2009/company-profile.html?id=200908750 Inc. Retrieved July 2010.
  8. ↑ http://www.fairwindspress.com/description.asp?isbn=9781592333691
  9. ↑ http://www.allergysense.com/blog/2009/05/15/hot-off-the-press-enjoy-lifes-new-cookbook/
  10. ↑ http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/unwrapped/Video of Food Network. Retrieved August 2010.
  11. ↑ http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7467370&pid=7467176
  12. ↑ http://www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100030865 Crain's Chicago Business.
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